Machine for simultaneously threading, beading, and knurling closure caps



Mch l ii 1949. J. M. MONTELIONE 2,465,253

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY THREADING, BEADING, AND KNURLING CLOSURE CAPS2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 10, 1947 INVENTOR. JOSEPH M. MO/W'fL/O/Vf.

ATTORNEK h J. M. MONTELIONE 2,465,253

MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY THREADING, BEADING,

AND KNURLING CLOSURE CAPS Filed March 10, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. I JOSEPH M. MONTEUONE.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 22, 1949 MACHINE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY THREAD- ING,BEADING, AND KNURLING CLOSURE CAPS Joseph M. Montelione, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 10, 1947, Serial No. 733,521

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for manufacturingclosures, and more particularly for forming metal screw closure caps andsimilar articles.

Screw closure caps are usually formed by first stamping flanged blanksfrom lacquered or printed sheet metal, with a subsequent rollingoperation to provide a thread and knurling edge in the skirt of the cap.

Most of the devices of this kind consist of complicated mechanism,including the feeding of blank caps and the removal of the finished cap.Wear of the rolling elements is also not taken care of, requiringextensive replacement of worn parts.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, practical andefficient device for forming screw-type metal closure caps from blankcaps, and wherein the threading, knurling and beadforming of the cap isperformed simultaneously.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a machinefor simultaneously forming knurling, a thread, and a crimped or beadededge, wherein the blank cap is fed from a hopper onto one rotatablemember of two geared continuously rotatable members, and simultaneouslythreaded, knurled and beaded by cooperable action of both rotatablemembers; further objects being in the provision of the novel feedingmeans and in designing the machine such that the cap will be placed onand removed from the said one rotatable member in one revolutionthereof.

It is another object of this invention to form the knurling by twocooperating rotatable parts which also act as gears to drive the cap.

It is another object of this invention to design the machine so that itcan be used with any conventional blank feeding hopper or other feedingmechanism.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a metal capthreading machine with dies, which can be readily adjusted forvariations in thickness of material or for wear.

It is another object of this invention to provide a metal cap threadrolling machine simple in design, thus cutting the cost of the machineand making its various parts readily accessible for repair andreplacement.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and inthe relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as morecompletely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend theunderlying features thereof that they may embody the same by thenumerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by thisinvention, drawings depicting certain forms of the invention have beenannexed as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawings, likecharacters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all theviews, of which:'

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a stamped cap blank.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a finished cap.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the machine before rolling operation. v

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fi 5.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged view of the rolling mechanism shown in Fig. 5,with the chute removed.

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views to Figs. 5 and 6 but with the mechanismin operative position.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the rollers ready to start the rollingoperation.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic View of the rollers at the beginning of therolling operation.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the rollers at the completion of therolling operation.

Referring now to the drawings, the blank cap as shown in Figs. 1 and 2consists of the cover portion l5, the skirt portion It and the flangell. After the rolling operation has been completed as later ondescribed, the same cap will appear as in Figs. 3 and 4, in which theskirt lS'has been provided with the thread I8 and the knurled edge l9,While the flange I'I has been rolled or crimped as at 2B.

The machine 2! consists of the frame 22 having an extension 23, securedby means of screws 24. This extension 23 supports the slide 25, whichacts as a feed of blank caps 26 into the rolling mechanism 21.

The slide 25 has the track 28 in which operates the pusher 29, havingthe recess to accommodate one cap 3| fed into the rolling mechanism 21.The caps 26 reach this pusher 29 by means of a chute 32. Mounted in theframe 22 is a drive shaft 33, which connects at its free end 34 to somedriving means such as a motor (not shown). A cam 35 is secured to theshaft 33 by means of a key 36 at one end of the frame 22, while the gearassembly 31 is mounted at its other end. The gear assembly 31 comprisesthe driving gear 38 and the companion gear 39 mounted on shaft Bil.Numeral designates a rolling die, having on its surface the femalethread portion 4| for forming the thread l8, the knurled portion 42 forforming the knurling l9, and the curling groove 59. (See Fig. '7.) i

This die 40 is in the form of a segment (see Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive)and is adjustably 'secured to the larger gear 38 by means of the screws43 sliding in the adjusting slots 44. A block 45 is secured to the gear38 by means of screws 46. Screws 4! in the block 45 bear against thesegment 40, thus permitting free adjustment, after which the segment istied down with the screws 43. The segment 40 is preferably slightly lessthan one half of the gear 38. This gear and die assembly may beconveniently referred to by 21a of the rolling mechanism 21. Thecomplementary gear 39 has mounted thereon, the complementary die member48, having the male thread portion 49 for forming the thread l8, theknurled portion 6| for forming the knurling l9, and the male curlingportion 62 for forming the bead 20. This complementary gear and dieassembly may be conveniently referred to by 211) of the rollingmechanism 21.

Riding and controlled on the cam 35 is a roller 52 mounted on the upperend of arm 59. The lower end of arm 59 is secured to a square shaft '5!slidably mounted in the frame 22. Roller 52 is held in engagement withthe surface of cam 35 .by means of a tension spring 53. At the other endof the square shaft 51 is secured an arm 54 to which is fixed the blankcap pusher 55. Swingably mounted on the gear 38 at 56 is an arm 57, theother end of which connects at 58 with the pusher 29.

The operation is as follows:

A blank cap 3| reaches the pusher 29 from the chute 32. During rotationof gear 38, the pusher 29 by means of the arm 51, will slide and pushesblank cap 3| towards the rolling mechanism 31. Pusher 55 will nowtransfer the blank cap 3| to the small die 48. Up to this point thesegment 40 has been only approaching the smaller die 48 as in Fig. 10.Now the rolling operation begins, causing simultaneous beading of theskirt edge 20 by means of the curling groove 59,

threading of the skirt l6 by means of the threading die-portions 41, 49,and knurling of the skirt by means of the knurled die-portions 42, 6|.During this rolling operation, arm and consequently pusher 29 movedownwardly thus permitting another blank cap 26 to locate itself in therecess 30 of the pusher 29, ready to be worked upon. At the same time,while this rolling operation is being performed, cam 35 is causing arm50 and consequently pusher 55 to move into the position shown in Fig. 5.The finished cap will fall oif by gravity or may be blown off by airpressure or other means (not shown); the next blank cap 26 will take itsplace, sent on its way by pusher 29, and pusher 55 will place the blankcap 26 on the smaller die 48 to be worked upon by the rolling mechanism21.

It is evident that the knurled die-portions 42, 6!, act as gears todrive the cap being worked upon; and that this cap goes on and oif thesmall roller 2127 during one revolution. In the embodiment shown in thedrawings, the roller or gear shaft 33 and 69 are fixed against endwisemovement. It is preferable to make the gear ratio of gears 38 and 39,four to one.

It is thus seen that the present invention comprises a simple, andpractical machine for manufacturing closures for bottles, which will besafe, eflicient, and reliable in use and operation. The device comprisesrelatively few parts which may be inexpensively manufactured andassembled and which is well adapted to accomplish, among others, all ofthe objects and advantages herein set forth.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe invention that others by applying current knowledge can readilyadapt it for various applications without omitting certain features thatfrom the standpoint of the prior art fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention,and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent. is:

l. A machine for simultaneously threading, beading and knurling caps,comprising cooperating rotatable devices, one of said devices receivingthe cap blank, the other of said devices being of greater diameter thanthe said one of said devices; said devices having cooperatingthreadforming, knurl-forming and curling portions, said thread-forming,knurl-forming and curling portion on said other of said devicescomprising a segment, each of said devices having a gear, the gear onsaid other of said devices being larger than and driving the gear onsaid one of said devices, driving means for said larger gear, cam meansbeing operable by said driving means for said larger gear, means forfeeding the caps to said one of said devices, said means comprisingpushers operable consecutively, one of said pushers being movable bysaid larger gear, and the other of said pushers being operable by saidcam means.

2. A machine for simultaneously threading, beading, and knurling caps,comprising cooperating rotatable devices, one of said devices receivingthe cap blank, the other of said devices being of greater diameter thanthe said one of said devices; said devices having cooperatingthread-forming, knurl-forming and curling portions, said thread-forming,knurl-forming and curling portion in said other of said devicescomprising a segment, each of said devices having a gear, the gear onsaid other of said devices being larger than and driving the gear onsaid one of said devices, driving means for said larger gear, cam meansbeing operable by said driving means for said larger gear, means forfeeding the cap to said one of said devices, said means comprising achute having a lateral extension adjacent said cap receiving device, andalso comprising two pushers operable consecutively, one of said pushersbeing guided in said extension and operable by said larger gear, and theother of said pushers being operable by said cam means,

3. A machine for simultaneously threading, heading, and knurling caps,comprising cooperating rotatable devices, one of said devices receivingthe cap blank, the other of said devices being of greater diameter thanthe said one of said devices; said devices having cooperatingthreadforming, knurl-forming and curl-ing portions, each of said deviceshaving a gear, the gear on said other of said devices being larger thanand driving the gear on said one of said devices, driving means for saidlarger gear, cam means being operable by said driving means for saidlarger gear, means for feeding the cap to said one of said devices, saidmeans comprising pushers operable consecutively, one of said pushersbeing movable by said larger gear, and the other of said pushers beingoperable by said cam means.

JOSEPH M. MONTELIONE.

(References on following page) Name Date Bell Dec. 3, 1935 Huntsman July5, 1938 Williams Feb. 21, 1939 Merolle June 10, 1941 Barrie June 3, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 17, 1906

